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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wax · fall · charge · rush · pound · can · object · row

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. object — an aim
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. object — a thing
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wax — to grow
  9. charge — electricity
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. charge — a price
  12. row — a line
  13. charge — in control
  14. pound — a weight
  15. can — a tin
  16. row — to paddle
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — hurry
  19. fall — the season
  20. fall — to drop
  21. can — to be able to
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. object — to protest
  24. can — a tin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com